S&T Bancorp has followed the market’s trajectory closely, rising in tandem with the S&P 500 over the past six months. The stock has climbed by 15.3% to $43.31 per share while the index has gained 13.3%.
Is now the time to buy S&T Bancorp, or should you be careful about including it in your portfolio? Get the full breakdown from our expert analysts, it’s free.
Why Is S&T Bancorp Not Exciting?
We're swiping left on S&T Bancorp for now. Here are three reasons you should be careful with STBA and a stock we'd rather own.
1. Net Interest Income Points to Soft Demand
Our experience and research show the market cares primarily about a bank’s net interest income growth as one-time fees are considered a lower-quality and non-recurring revenue source.
S&T Bancorp’s net interest income has grown at a 4.9% annualized rate over the last five years, much worse than the broader banking industry.
2. Projected Net Interest Income Growth Is Slim
Forecasted net interest income by Wall Street analysts signals a company’s potential. Predictions may not always be accurate, but accelerating growth typically boosts valuation multiples and stock prices while slowing growth does the opposite.
Over the next 12 months, sell-side analysts expect S&T Bancorp’s net interest income to rise by 3.8%.
3. EPS Growth Has Stalled Over the Last Two Years
Although long-term earnings trends give us the big picture, we like to analyze EPS over a shorter period to see if we are missing a change in the business.
S&T Bancorp’s flat EPS over the last two years was worse than its 1.1% annualized revenue growth. This tells us the company became less profitable on a per-share basis as it expanded.
Final Judgment
S&T Bancorp’s business quality ultimately falls short of our standards. That said, the stock currently trades at 1.1× forward P/B (or $43.31 per share). While this valuation is reasonable, we don’t really see a big opportunity at the moment. We're fairly confident there are better stocks to buy right now. Let us point you toward one of our top digital advertising picks.
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